Combination pocket receptacles



Oct. 7, 1958 n.1. BRouGHToN COMBINATION POCKET RECEPTACLES Filed July e, 195e INVENTOR. DOUGLAS J. BROLJGHTON 'III' Ill ATTORNEYS coMiNArroN POCKET RECEPTACLES Douglas J. Broughton, Springfield, Mass., assignor to Buxton, Incorporated, Springfield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application `hilly 6, 1956, Serial No. 596,351

6 Claims. (Cl. 150-35).

This invention relates to yan improvement in pocket receptacles in which a wall of a principal receptacle is provided with an auxiliary receptacle, such as combination purse-billfolds, pass case-billfolds and purse-pass case-billfolds and similar combinations.

The principal objects of the -invention are to` provide structures of this character which are easier to manipulate, which give increased protection to the contents of the several article receiving compartments andwhich provide a longer useful life to the receptacle, all with an improvement in the appearance thereof.

`Other yand further objects will be made apparent in the disclosure of the accompanying drawings and in the following specification and claims.

`In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a purse-pass-case-billfold combination embodying t-he invention, the billfold being open;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, -on an enlarged scale, substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is la fragmentary view `on an enlarged scale, showing the purse of Fig. l open; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale, substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Generally speaking pocket receptacles of the character to which the present invention is directed, are formed for the most par-t of iiexible material such as leather and fabric or combinations thereof, `or plastic sheeting, and comprise a pair of elongated walls suitably connected together along one long edge and their end edges to form the inner and outer walls of a bill compartment or bill fold, the inner :and outer walls having a transverse folding zone or line of fold about which the end portions of the billfold may be folded one on the `other to close the bill compartment. Auxiliary receptacles or compartments are usually formed on, and carried by, the outer face of the billfold wall at one or both sides of said Zone of fold.

Typical of such auxiliary receptacles are purses, pass cases and key cases, which are built onto the wall of the billfold. To releasably hold the auxiliary receptacle closed, a flap is commonly secured to Ithe billfold Wall to be swung into overlapping rela-tion with the free edge portion of the outer wall member of the auxiliary compartment, and releasably secured thereto as by a cap and post fastener.

In these prior constructions the carrying capacity of the xauxiliary receptacle is defined by the yieldability or distortability of the flexible material of which the receptacle walls are made. The outer wall of the auxiliary receptacle, particularly in the case of purses, tends to conform to the contents. Coins, gravitat-ing to the bottom of the compartment tend to distend the purse irregularly and render the billfold distorted and unsightly, even when closed, and to shorten the useful life of the article. Similarly overcrowding of the envelopes forming the interior of a pass case tends similarly to distort the pass case and billfold walls.

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I'hese difficulties and disadvantages are overcome by the construction of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 generally designates the body of the billfold which has a bill compartment 2 formed between a rear wall 3 and a front or inner wall 4. The wall 4 may be variously constructed and is shown as made up of `spaced side panel members 5 and 6 extending upwardly from the lower edge of the rear wall 3 and having their respective upper portions folded inwardly and downwardly as indicated eat 7 in Fig. 2. A central member 9 having its ends engaged between the panels 5 and 6 land their respective portions 7 closes the space between the panels.

Panel 5 is shown as carrying a purse generally indicated at 10 and panel 6 is shown as carrying a pass case generally indicated at 11.

The purse comprises a front wall 15 which is formed of a synthetic plastic plate or sheet 16 molded or otherwise -shaped so that its upper and lower edges curve from the plane of the plate toward the -adjacent billfold wall, forming flanges as indicated at 17 and 18, which deter mine the transverse depth dimension of the space between the body of the plate and the underlying wall of the billfold. This plate is of a character and thickness to provide a rigidity such that it maintains its shape under all conditions of normal use of the receptacle and is covered with Ia sheet of leather or other suitable flexible material las indicated lat 19 (Fig. 2), the upper edge of this covering leather sheet -being folded over the upper edge of the plate 16, as at 20, the inner face of plate 16 being covered by .a lining sheet 21 of leather or other suitable material. The covering and lining sheets 19 and 21 are adhered over the entire adjacent surface of the plate. The -lower edges of sheets 19 and 21 extend beyond the lower curved edge of the plate 16 'and are folded upwardly and .stitched to the adjacent wall member 5 of the billfold, as indicated at 22, to hinge the lower edge of the plate to the Wall member 5. As shown the sheet 19 is extended beyond the side edges of plate 16V and is accordion folded to provide expansible gussets 23, the free ends of which are stitched or interlocked to the wall member 5 to complete the purse. The gussets 23 may be formed as separate pieces if desired.

The gussets 23 fold inwardly beneath plate 16, closing the sides of the purse in both its open and closed i position, the mouth of the purse being closed by the engagement of the free curved edge of plate 16 against the adjacent billfold wall.

While any suitable means may be used to hold the free edge of plate 16 against the billfold wal-l, advantageously and preferably a spring clasp member 25 of suitable construction and having a hinged spring controlled lip 26 shaped to substantially conform to that of the adjacent edge of plate 16 is xed to the w-all member 5, as by prongs 24, in position so that in one spring held position lip 26 engages, .substantially conformably, over the upper curved edge of plate 16, as shown in full lines in Figs. l and 2 to hold the purse closed and in a second spring held position, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 2 rand in full line in Fig. 3, releases the plate so that the latter may be swung to purse-open posi-tion as in the Alatter figure.

Preferably for reasons of appearance, ease of manipulation and economy the clasp 25, or other holding means, does not extend across the entire length of the purse opening and to assure against escape of coins from beneath the edge of the plate at the sides of the clasp, due to possible yielding of the billfold wall, the latter is reenforced at the portion engaged by the edge of the plate. Preferably, and as shown, this reenforcement takes the form of a rigid metal bar 27 of a length nearly coextensive with the width of the mouth of the purse, fixed, as by clamping, to the upper edge of a tlap 28 of leather or the like which is xed to the adjacent billfold wall, as by a line of stitching 29 adjacent bar 27, to position the latter so that the curved free edge portion of plate 16 is pressed against the bar along its entire length by the clasp when the purse is closed. Conveniently ilap 2S extends into the purse suiciently to cover the prongs 27 or the latter may be other- Wise covered.

The pass case 11 is constructed similarly to purse 10. lIts front wall comprising a plastic plate 30 molded or otherwise formed with inwardly curving end portions 31 and 32, the plate being covered and lined by sheets 33 and 34, respectively, of leather or other suitable material, the end portions of said sheets being extended beyond -the end 32 of the plate, these extensions being folded :round the adjacent end edge of wall member 6 as shown in Fig. 4 and stitched or otherwise secured thereto to hinge the plate to the inner wall of the billfold. Fastening means 35, of conventional or suitable form, secure conventional envelopes 36 to the hinge adjacent the edge of plate 30 to be enclosed between the plate 30 and wall member 6 when the pass case is closed. A clasp 38 similar in all respects to clasp 25 is xed to wall member 6 to releasably engage over the adjacent free end of plate 30 to releasably hold the pass case closed.

As will be apparent in the constructions of both the purse and pass case illustrated the contents of such receptacles are bridged by a plastic plate having inwardly curved ends, the extent of such inward curvature or extension defining the transverse depth of the receptacle. Whether or not the purse, or pass case, or other auxiliary receptacle so constructed is loaded to capacity the surface of the outer wall of these auxiliary receptacles maintains its smooth appearance and no creasing, folding or distortion thereof can take place by reasons of the shifting or piling up of the contents or otherwise. Further the billfold as a whole does not suffer distortion by reason of the articles in the auxiliary compartments, the billfold presenting the same uniform appearance when folded or open regardless of the quantity or position of articles in the auxiliary receptacles. It will be understood that the sides as Well as the ends of the plates 16 `and 30 may be curved inwardly if greater rigidity or more complete closure of the auxiliary receptacle is desired and that if desired said ends or sides may be directed toward the adjacent wall of the billfold at an angle instead of on a curve as shown, the formation selected being that best adapted to the purposes of the auxiliary receptacle.

What is claimed is:

1. In a billfold having an auxiliary receptacle on the outer face of one of its walls at one side of the fold line of the billfold, said auxiliary receptacle comprising a plate of rigid material overlying said wall, the plate being provided along at least two opposite edges with flange portions extending in the direction of said wall to maintain the intermediate portion of the plate spaced from said wall and determine the transverse depth dimension of the cornpartrnent thereby formed between the plate and said wall, means hingedly connecting the plate, along the edge of one of said ange portions, to said wall and means carried by said wall and positioned to be releasably engaged over the anged portion of the plate opposite said hinged connection to releasably hold the so-engaged flange portion against the adjacent billfold wall to maintain the auxiliary receptacle closed.

2. A billfold as in claim 1, the said billfold wall being provided with a rigid bar over which the free edge of said plate, opposite the hinge, engages when said free edge is engaged by the said last named means.

3. A billfold as in claim l, said plate being covered and lined with respective sheets of flexible material, said sheets having portions extending outwardly of said one flanged edgeand iixed to the adjacent billfold wall to form the said hinge connection of the plate to the wall.

4. A billfold as in claim 2, said plate being covered and lined with respective sheets of flexible material, said sheets having portions extending outwardly of said one edge and xed to the adjacent billfold wall to form the said hinge connection of the plate to the wall.

5. A billfold as in claim 3, said sheet covering the plate having portions extending from sides of the plate and connected at their ends to the adjacent billfold wall, said portions being accordion folded to underlie the plate when the latter is engaged by said last named means.

6. A billfold as in claim l, said last named means comprising a spring clasp having a hinged spring controlled, rigid lip substantially conforming in shape and extent to the flanged portion of the plate over which it engages.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,405,379 Thomas Aug. 6, 1946 2,576,474 Nash Nov. 27, 1951 2,745,456 Rubin May 15, 1956 2,789,614 Broughton Apr. 23, 1957 

